{"id":4513,"date":"2026-07-11T15:04:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T15:04:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4513"},"modified":"2026-07-11T15:04:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T15:04:40","slug":"adventures-in-etymology-scribbling-scribes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4513","title":{"rendered":"Adventures in Etymology &#8211; Scribbling Scribes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Scribbling Scribes\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2026-07-11T15:04:39+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M09S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we scratch at the roots of the word scribe.\n\n\nThoth, Egyptian god of the Moon, wisdom, knowledge, writing, science, magic, art and judgement, scribe of the gods, inventor of (Egyptian hieroglyphic) writing, reading and ...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.3\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_1044\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4513-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4513-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"scribblingscribes.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we scratch at the roots of the word <strong>scribe<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/jefka\/3815056107\/in\/photolist-6P8agr-7hbMDb-DYjF3-DYjEE-bpBkv-REp4QG-akLZ8L-2sgw5hs-2pDce4n-6FEUKP-5uiLuQ-e2qQEr-4nJQY-9Jmu9S-aaBEGg-aLGXAX-cPjUBf-5ES62c-zAmCo-cPk12y-zAmrP-2orfXmp-cPk1QG-zAmxy-8HHyFX-hcEeLT-DYjF5-6FzFwE-8HHyAP-8HHzac-cPk6eW-tRab4A-8HLGmU-6oXs1t-2sQMo-cPkc9m-cPk8qu-7JP5oW-8HHyLn-8HLGsd-4axw9v-awDnp-aUoM2V-cPkbnm-cPkaE1-cPjXKf-9h5Gmd-cnTS3U-cnTsBY-cPjWXU\" title=\"Scribe\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/3432\/3815056107_bd54934c60_z.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" alt=\"Scribe\"\/><\/a><script async src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thoth\">Thoth<\/a>, Egyptian god of the Moon, wisdom, knowledge, writing, science, magic, art and judgement, scribe of the gods, inventor of (Egyptian hieroglyphic) writing, reading and music<\/em><\/p>\n<p>A <strong>scribe<\/strong> [sk\u0279a\u026a\u032fb] is someone who writes, a draughtsperson, a writer for another, a secretary, notary or copyist, and <strong>to scribe<\/strong> means to write, engrave, inscribe, record, and so on.<\/p>\n<p>It comes from Middle English <em>scribe<\/em> (a public official who deals with writing or accounts, a clerk), from Old French <em>scribe<\/em> (scribe), from Late Latin <em>scr\u012bba<\/em> (writer, scribe, secretary, clerk), from Latin <em>scr\u012bb\u014d<\/em> (to write), from Proto-Italic <em>*skrei\u03b2\u014d<\/em> (to carve), from PIE  <em>*(s)kr\u00e9yb\u02b0eti<\/em>, from <em>*(s)kreyb\u02b0-<\/em> (to scratch, tear) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/scribe#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Words from the same roots may include <strong>schrijven<\/strong> (to write) and <strong>rijven<\/strong> (to rake, rasp, grate) in Dutch, <strong>scrie<\/strong> (to write) in Romanian,  <strong>skriva<\/strong> (to write, type, copy) in Swedish, <strong>scr\u00edobh<\/strong> (to write, fill in, compose) in Irish, and <strong>\u00e9criture<\/strong> (writing, scripture) in French [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/(s)kreyb%CA%B0-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>The English words <strong>scribble<\/strong>, <strong>script<\/strong>, <strong>scripture<\/strong>, <strong>describe<\/strong>, <strong>inscribe<\/strong>, <strong>prescribe<\/strong>, <strong>proscribe<\/strong>, <strong>transcribe<\/strong>, <strong>shrive<\/strong> (to hear or receive a confession [of sins, etc]), <strong>shrine<\/strong> also come from the same roots [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Category:English_terms_derived_from_the_Proto-Indo-European_root_*(s)kreyb%CA%B0-\">source<\/a>]. As does the word <strong>scrivener<\/strong>, which refers to a professional writer, particularly one whose occupation is to draw contracts or prepare writings, and used to mean a broker [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/scrivener#English\">source<\/a>]. <\/p>\n<p>Incidentally, if you&#8217;re prone to excessive writing, you could be described as <strong>scribacious<\/strong> [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/scribacious#English\">source<\/a>], and if you are a bad at <strong>transcribing<\/strong>, you could be called a <strong>transcribbler<\/strong> [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/transcribble#English\">source<\/a>]<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/uk\/cgi-bin\/webscr?cmd=_flow&amp;SESSION=aLjPfXL-vP_1gQ_U23Iz8_hSWLlhzLHPMFZrt32dIEfG8htoNFLYaPoWkv8&amp;dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8def8934b92a630e40b7fef61ab7e9fe63\">PayPal<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/omniglot\">Patreon<\/a>, or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/donations.htm\">contribute to Omniglot in other ways<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with <a href=\"https:\/\/blubrry.com\/services\/podcast-hosting\/?code=omniglot\">Blubrry Podcast Hosting<\/a>, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code <strong>omniglot<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanesepod101.com\/member\/go.php?r=759259&amp;i=b0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/banners\/banner_japanesepod.jpg\" alt=\"The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com\" width=\"630\" height=\"83\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/\">Omniglot Blog<\/a>, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/\">Celtiadur<\/a> blog.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n   crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Blog horizontal --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n   style=\"display:block\"\n   data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n   data-ad-slot=\"1685480124\"\n   data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n   data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n   (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Scribbling Scribes\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2026-07-11T15:04:39+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M09S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we scratch at the roots of the word scribe.\n\n\nThoth, Egyptian god of the Moon, wisdom, knowledge, writing, science, magic, art and judgement, scribe of the gods, inventor of (Egyptian hieroglyphic) writing, reading and ...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.3\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_1045\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4513-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4513-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/scribblingscribes.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"scribblingscribes.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we scratch at the roots of the word scribe. Thoth, Egyptian god of the Moon, wisdom, knowledge, writing, science, magic, art and judgement, scribe of the gods, inventor of (Egyptian hieroglyphic) writing, reading and music A scribe [sk\u0279a\u026a\u032fb] is someone who writes, a draughtsperson, a writer for another, a secretary, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,47,20,56,23,6,4,50,11,109,1,59,133,116],"tags":[90,9,167,15,88,8,464,463,465,466,103],"class_list":["post-4513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-dutch","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-irish","category-language","category-latin","category-music","category-old-french-franceis","category-podcast","category-proto-indo-european","category-proto-italic","category-romanian-limba-romana","tag-etymology","tag-language","tag-linguistics","tag-music","tag-omniglot","tag-podcast","tag-scribble","tag-scribe","tag-script","tag-scrivener","tag-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4513"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4513\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4515,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4513\/revisions\/4515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}